In German, it is actually pronounced more like MEH-d-chen, with that softer 'ch' sound found in Gretchen ('chen' being a German diminutive). The umlaut over the 'a' changes the sound to more like an 'eh'. The best possible English approximation, in my opinion, would be MAID-shun.

Like it says, though, this is not used in Germany and simply means 'girl'. Maybe better for a middle name?

The only person with this name I've heard of is Mädchen Amick, and it was never meant to be used as a name. It means 'girl' in German, so it sounds very bizarre to anyone who can speak the language. I bet many people who would consider using this have no clue how to pronounce this, and the sound of this name is very foreign in English-speaking countries. It isn't a pretty word anyway, and even the meaning is infantile.

Please note that this isn't used as a name in Germany at all. It is simply the German word for "girl" so calling your child this is like calling her Girl which is quite ridiculous. If you don't speak German you will never get the pronunciation right as well as the -chen part is really difficult to pronounce for non native speakers and it is impossible to describe how to pronounce it (all the previous pronunciations listed here have been close but not exactly accurate). Gretchen for example is also pronounced differently in German than you would in English. The -chen part is just much softer. The Mäd- part could be pronounced as either "Mayd" or "Med" depending on the accent. Don't use this "name".

Personally, I don't care for it, but why is it any more ridiculous than "Colleen," which comes from the Irish word "cailín," also meaning "girl"? (Because we're not nearly as accustomed to it, of course.)

Yes, it is actually das Mädchen. If you said "die Mädchen, then it would mean more than one girl.

But MAD-khen? Not exactly. The "Mä" part sounds like a cross between ay (as in may) and e (as in men). "D" is more or less the same. "Chen" is more difficult because that sound doesn't even exist in English. Altogether it sort of sounds like "MEHt-yen".

-- Anonymous User 1/29/2011

The ch in this case is very similar to the h in "huge" (unless you pronounce it "yooj," as I usually do).